Games Kickoff for US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Super Group at Disney's Soccer Showcase

FRISCO, Texas (December 28, 2008) -- Top talent from US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) kicked off competition in the US Youth Soccer ODP Super Group at Disney's Soccer Showcase presented by the Chelsea Football Club in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. yesterday.

All players were on top of their game in the first day of play, and in the 1993 age group, the match between Region II and Region III was no exception. Region III's Bryce Follensbee had a hat trick; finishing goals in the 59th, 74th and 76th minutes of play. His teammate Dominic Bonilla had the goal of the day in the 66th minute. Bonilla beat the defender and hit a blast in the upper left corner from 20 yards out. The game ended with a 4:0 Region III victory.

Another 4:0 victory came in the 1992 age group with Region II and Region III facing off again. Omar Mata opened the scoring with a 27th minute goal and Ricardo Garbanzo followed his lead in the 36th to put Region III up 2:0 at the half. Patrick Mullins scored off of a PK in the 78th and a minute later, knocked another past the keeper to give Region III the 4:0 win.

Players in the 1992 and 1993 age groups will compete in preliminary games December 27-29 and seeding will be held December 30.

The showcase event is among the top recruiting tournaments in the country. This year, the showcase will play host to over 430 boys' and girls' teams along with the eight Super Group teams and more than 800 collegiate coaches.

US Youth Soccer ODP is known as the premier identification and development program for the nation's youth seeking the opportunity to compete at the national, professional and collegiate levels of play. US Youth Soccer ODP is the original Olympic development program and the only elite player development program that can claim members of Major League Soccer as well as a majority of current and past national and youth team members, as alumni.

US Youth Soccer ODP players participating at the US Youth Soccer ODP Super Group at Disney's Soccer Showcase have been selected through a series of trials at their local, US Youth Soccer State Association and then US Youth Soccer regional levels.

A number of US Youth Soccer teams from member State Associations will be represented at the Disney's Soccer Showcase. A complete team list can be found at www.disneyworldsports.com as well as additional information regarding the Showcase.

Elite soccer events are nothing new to Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, which has hosted the prestigious US Youth Soccer National Championships in 2004 and 2005 after previously hosting the championships in 1999 and 2000. The US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Winter Interregional has taken place at Disney since 2000.

For more information regarding US Youth Soccer and the US Youth Soccer ODP, please log on to www.USYouthSoccer.org.

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About US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) - US Youth Soccer ODP, established in 1977, is the original Olympic development program in the United States. Formed to identify a pool of players in each age group from which a National Team could be selected for international competition, selected players are exposed to the nation's top coaches from collegiate institutions, U.S. Soccer and the professional leagues. Programs exist in each state and with competitions such as the US Youth Soccer ODP National Championships, Interregional Training/Competition, Regional Camps and International play. US Youth Soccer ODP continues to lead the way in elite player identification and development. US Youth Soccer ODP is an approved program of the U.S. Soccer Federation.

Media Request: When referring to the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program, the original elite player program in the United States, please refer to the program only as the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program or US Youth Soccer ODP, and never as USYSODP or simply ODP. We appreciate your cooperation.

About the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) – US Youth Soccer -The Game for ALL Kids!® is the largest youth sports organization in the country and largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3.2 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, and over 900,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers in 55 member state associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game. For more information, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org.

Media Request: When referring to the United States Youth Soccer Association, the largest youth sports organization in the United States, please refer to the association only as US Youth Soccer, and never as USYS or USYSA. We appreciate your cooperation.

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